Author Topic: Protective Gear (Read 29720 times)

blueblood · « **Reply #20 on:** January 05, 2014, 09:09:44 pm »

Everybody has pretty much said it but I really like the comments about wearing what make you comfortable (calm) around the bees. Personally, I don't like to be stung in the least. I invested in an Ultra Breeze full bee suit last year. They are pricey at $260+. And, I really like Meyer gloves from MannLake. I was not stung one time last year while wearing the suit or the gloves. Now, my first year, I was stung several times through my old cotton full suit. The Ultra Breeze is very cool with a mesh system. I wore shorts and short sleeves all summer. It was great!

iddee · « **Reply #21 on:** January 05, 2014, 09:14:39 pm »

Blue, if I know police training, you have been tazed and pepper sprayed, and you worry about a little bee sting. I can't believe it.

Jen · « **Reply #22 on:** January 05, 2014, 10:33:59 pm »

OMG this is so intriguing! I think I have been talking to some of these men in the pics but I'm not sure who is who.

I want to know who the shirtless one is?

iddee · « **Reply #23 on:** January 05, 2014, 10:37:26 pm »

GUESS.........

Jen · « **Reply #24 on:** January 05, 2014, 10:39:30 pm »

Mr. Wizard! Is That You?!?

iddee · « **Reply #25 on:** January 05, 2014, 10:44:37 pm »

One more time with that name and I'm going to send you the PM I sent riverbee.

blueblood · « **Reply #26 on:** January 05, 2014, 10:49:16 pm »

Quote from: iddee on January 05, 2014, 09:14:39 pm

Blue, if I know police training, you have been tazed and pepper sprayed, and you worry about a little bee sting. I can't believe it.

You are absolutely right, ha! And, don't forget 80% strikes to all my pressure points from my peroneal nerve to my brachial nerve. The 5 second, 50,000 volt taser ride was the most enjoyable.... :'(

The slight swelling of the sting doesn't bother me to bad because it only last 2 days but the itching is beyond me.....

Jen · « **Reply #27 on:** January 05, 2014, 10:56:51 pm »

Alright alright, I'll mind my p's and q's

But I have to say that I do enjoy having a face to a name. Thank you for idenifying yourself for my sake ~

ralph · « **Reply #28 on:** January 05, 2014, 11:01:20 pm »

Quote from: JanO on January 05, 2014, 12:26:37 pm

Do I really need a whole suit, or is head protection sufficient if you wear a long sleeve shirt and jeans when working your hives?

At some point you will need to be fully protected. Eventually you'll probably run up on some genetic line of bees that are so mean you need protection to deal with them and dispose of their queen.

It's possible to work hives every day with no protection at all and get stung very minimally. I've been as long as a couple weeks without a single sting going in mine daily for some odd reason or another.

The ONLY reason I keep bees is because I found that is possible and that's what I pursue.

Quote from: JanO on January 05, 2014, 12:26:37 pm

And what type of gloves are best?

Whatever you do, don't get the ones with that little vent around the wrist. You'll end up getting tagged there quite a bit and it's a pain to try to get a stinger out that's under that mesh stuff.

I'd say leather but something solid all the way up the forearm a ways.

Quote from: JanO on January 05, 2014, 12:26:37 pm

Besides a smoker and hive tool, what else is absolutely necessary? It seems like everyone is determined to sell me everything under the sun, but I'm not sure about what is actually needed. I don't want to buy something that will only sit around and collect dust.

Speaking of Smoker. Get a Dadant 4x10 with the finger guard and everything. That thing will stay lit longer by accident than anything else will on purpose. It's only pennies difference in price.

They sold me one without the finger guard without my second looking before getting home and using it. Anyway my middle finger's first knuckle on my right hand has had an education or two as a result of that. It did get me in the habit of not carelessly picking it up though.

Quote from: JanO on January 05, 2014, 12:26:37 pm

I don't want to buy something that will only sit around and collect dust.

I've come to the conclusion that is what could be called college tuition.

pistolpete · « **Reply #29 on:** January 05, 2014, 11:05:44 pm »

I'd say a bee brush is one of those things that I never use. When the geese migrate through here I pick up a half dozen wing feathers, that lasts me a couple of years. The bees don't seem to get nearly as mad at a feather as at a brush. I only put on my veil once or twice a year, but it's always within arms reach. I don't wear gloves, but I get very minimal reaction to stings on the hands and find the stings have cured the pain in my hands. I do have an exceptionally calm variety of bees, so that helps too. the temperament of the bees is something to consider when you are finding a supplier.

Slowmodem · « **Reply #30 on:** January 05, 2014, 11:06:22 pm »

Quote from: jaybird on January 05, 2014, 10:39:30 pm

Mr. Wizard! Is That You?!?

Drizzle, drazzle, druzzle, drone, time for this one to come home

Jen · « **Reply #31 on:** January 05, 2014, 11:08:29 pm »

AaaaHahahahha! I'm not allowed to comment cause I just promised to mind my p's and q's ~ which for your information is hard for me to do. snark

Jen · « **Reply #32 on:** January 05, 2014, 11:15:46 pm »

Blue- Yes! the itching and swelling is hard. For your information, if you recieve between 15-25 stings during springtime, you won't swell or itch anymore for that summer. You can even intentionally put a bee on the back of your shoulder or anywhere other than your arms every three days to develope the immunity more quickly.

ps. and it doesn't hurt (no pun intended) to put one bee on every couple of weeks to keep that immunity going thru the fall.

Perry · « **Reply #33 on:** January 06, 2014, 07:20:21 am »

"Speaking of Smoker. Get a Dadant 4x10 with the finger guard and everything. That thing will stay lit longer by accident than anything else will on purpose. It's only pennies difference in price.

They sold me one without the finger guard without my second looking before getting home and using it. Anyway my middle finger's first knuckle on my right hand has had an education or two as a result of that. It did get me in the habit of not carelessly picking it up though."

Good advice from ralph, it's one of my next purchases. I just wish they made the guard as tall as the 10" fire pot instead of using the smaller 7" guard.

iddee · « **Reply #34 on:** January 06, 2014, 07:33:59 am »

I tried a 10 inch once. Then gave it away and went back to my 7 inch. If I had 50 or more hives, I might have kept it, but to light it, smoke 2 hives, then let it set and burn out, it was just a pain.

ralph · « **Reply #35 on:** January 06, 2014, 10:25:10 am »

Quote from: iddee on January 06, 2014, 07:33:59 am

I tried a 10 inch once. Then gave it away and went back to my 7 inch. If I had 50 or more hives, I might have kept it, but to light it, smoke 2 hives, then let it set and burn out, it was just a pain.

You can put only a couple handfuls of fuel in it if that's all you want. As far as burn time. Believe it or not I have had it run all day and all night and still be going usefully the next morning. Not often though.

I ball up a handful of grass and plug mine with it when done for the day. Leaves some useful stuff in it next mornin.

The issue is the taller one draws better, not necessarily trying to sell anybody on the 'bigger is better' sales pitch.

I started out with the domed smoker and wouldn't wish that thing on anybody. Why the place even sells the thing is beyond me.

I'd rather have the 4x10 initially for a couple dollars extra in cost. Than to wish I had it later and have to dump another $40 on another smoker.

riverbee · « **Reply #36 on:** January 06, 2014, 10:56:55 am »

"I started out with the domed smoker and wouldn't wish that thing on anybody. Why the place even sells the thing is beyond me."

i use the domed smoker ralph, i like it!......maybe it was operator error?!

and jen, please stop calling iddee the wizard.......LOL!

efmesch · « **Reply #37 on:** January 06, 2014, 11:21:33 am »

I never leave my smoker to burn itself out. That's just a waste of fuel and danger of starting a fire.
When finished with my smoke, I plug the upper and lower openings with a small piece of sponge. More corrrectly, I squeeze a sponge plug in the upper opening and a flat piece of sponge between the hole and the bellows. The fire goes out in a matter of minutes at most.

ralph · « **Reply #38 on:** January 06, 2014, 11:26:03 am »

Quote from: riverbee on January 06, 2014, 10:56:55 am

[/i]i use the domed smoker ralph, i like it!......maybe it was operator error?! ]

Yea that's what it was.

That vinyl on the bellows will wear out and crack perty quick too. Dadant uses leather. I'm still surprised I haven't burnt this 4x10 up already. Bought it in April 13. Curious to see what it looks like by the end of this year.

Slowmodem · « **Reply #39 on:** January 06, 2014, 01:12:43 pm »

Quote from: efmesch on January 06, 2014, 11:21:33 am

I never leave my smoker to burn itself out. That's just a waste of fuel and danger of starting a fire.
When finished with my smoke, I plug the upper and lower openings with a small piece of sponge. More corrrectly, I squeeze a sponge plug in the upper opening and a flat piece of sponge between the hole and the bellows. The fire goes out in a matter of minutes at most.

My smoker came with a cork. I still use that when I'm through.